Plans for semi-professional club in Wales to have VAR system installed
The Football Association of Wales has submitted a planning application to Pembrokeshire Council for the installation of a VAR video operations room at Haverfordwest County FC's home ground
A match official checks a VAR screen
(Image: Getty Images )
A proposal to install VAR (Video Assistant Referee) technology at a Pembrokeshire football stadium used by a semi-professional team has been lodged with planners.
The Football Association of Wales has submitted a planning application to Pembrokeshire Council for the installation of a VAR video operations room and related works at Bridge Meadow Stadium, the home of Haverfordwest County FC. An accompanying statement from agent Wardell Armstrong outlines: "The Football Association Wales has recognised opportunities to strengthen, improve and build the standard of football and the image associated with Wales's top football league."
It further details the Cymru Premier Strategy 2024-2030, which includes plans to enhance the quality of club facilities, branding, and recognition in the Cymru Premier League, as well as bolstering the on-field product over the next six years. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here .
The statement adds: "The implementation of VAR as part of this plan will allow referees to perform at the highest possible level, providing quality decision-making to benefit players, fans and television audiences."
The system, known as VAR, "comprises of a Video Assistant Referee who is a qualified official that watches video footage of the game with access to multiple screens, angles and replays with the purpose of assisting the on-field officials to come to the correct decision," it explains.
Bridge Meadow in Haverfordwest
(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service )
It adds: "VAR is used globally, currently assisting referees in associated football leagues of over 70 countries to minimise the risk of human error and to enable the referee to make the correct decision using video technology.
"From the 2025/2026 season, VAR Light will be implemented in all Cymru Premier matches. VAR Light operates on the same principles as VAR – with a Video Assistant Referee but without a replay operator."
It further elaborates: "Footage from VAR camera installations will be transmitted to a self-contained Video Operations Room, where the VAR will be located.
The match referee will conduct any suggested on-field reviews in a designated Referee Review Area adjacent to the pitch, where a monitor will be installed on match days.
"After reviewing the infrastructure at the Ogi Bridge Meadow Stadium, it has been determined that the existing buildings cannot accommodate the Video Operations Room, necessitating the provision of new additional accommodation."
The application will be reviewed by county planners at a future date.
Article continues below
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
5 hours ago
- Daily Record
Scottish referees could be mic'd up next season to explain VAR decisions to fans
The move comes as SFA refs chiefs Willie Collum looks to improve transparency over decisions There's arguably only one thing worse than when an engine catches fire on your passenger plane. And that's when the man in charge of the cockpit gets into such a blind panic over it that he forgets the fundamentals of how to fly the damn thing. Which is precisely why refs' boss Willie Collum has turned to a couple of professional pilots this week in order to help his own officials prepare for the new campaign - in the hope of avoiding any bumpy landings. The trick, says Collum, is to remain calm, composed and concise in any kind of crisis situation - and especially when communicating with the men at the control tower, or, in this case, those manning the VAR bunker at Clydesdale House. And, after asking Scotland's top whistlers attend a crash course from the experts, Collum believes his men will be ready for just about anything when the new season gets up and running this weekend. He said: "We've had aviation experts in, pilots. They're training pilots as well. They showed us examples of critical situations, life and death situations. "People think football is life and death, it's not quite the same, but it's an intense environment and we wanted to know how people communicate there. "What we really liked about it was that it showed us that sometimes the VARs are speaking and they are not really asking the right open question. "They could be leading the assistant VAR but the pilot is not asking the co-pilot questions that he is just going to agree with. "You actually see some examples where they physically sit back. We showed a clip from a match in Scotland where the VAR sits back and the AVAR gets in about the screen looking at it. "There was lots about communication. Another key thing was that nobody in a cockpit uses the words, 'I think'. It needs to be concrete, it needs to be, 'Here's what it is actually showing, here's what the outcome is'. Rather than saying 'it's something that I'm thinking', we need it to be more factual." And calm. Always calm. Especially when one of the engines is belching out flames and smoke - a scenario which was played out in front of Collum and his officials. He said: "We saw examples of that yesterday. Nobody can deny the pilot's adrenalin is pumping and they are fearing, they're frightened, they're worried. "It's about keeping calm because you have got a process and you know to follow that process. We want the same. When there are critical, difficult decisions for the VAR to make they have a process there." This left-field training programme was originally piloted - sorry - with referees from England's top flight. And Collum not only believes his colleagues down south have reaped the benefits but has also gone to the bother of pinching former Premier League whistler Martin Atkinson to head of Scotland's VAR team. He said: "There were a couple of high-profile decisions, with a lot of debate about the communication after a Spurs game against Liverpool. "England were the first to say, 'We need to have a real serious think about what's being said in the room. "It can't just be a run-of-the-mill conversation, we need the right phrases and processes'. "What we are using through aviation is that you need robust processes. We definitely think that in England you can see evidence of that. "In the short time that Martin has been in position, we are already seeing better evidence of that. "If you had gone into the VAR room before Martin and talked about communication, it'd have been really busy with people talking, saying too much. "Now, if you go in you would think, 'Something is not working right here because I'm not hearing anything!'. "But it is about speaking when you need to speak so that it is relevant. We also know that talking, talking, talking can make people tired. We don't want our VARs and AVARs being tired. "What was really interesting for us is they actually said that some of our clips would be good to train their pilots. They were able to see good examples. "From a technical point of view they didn't know what the right or the wrong decision was but what they did say was, 'Could there have been less talk? A different approach? More open-ended question to AVAR?' "They see a lot of similarities between what is happening in the VAR room and the cockpit. Again it is not life and death, but in football, maybe even in the west of Scotland, it is up there." With that in mind, Collum is also keen to roll out better communication with supporters inside Scotland's stadiums and believes a system to explain VAR decisions in-game will improve the match day experience. All he needs now is the clubs to agree to pay for it. He said: "We are closer. We've had good discussions with the clubs. When the referee goes to the monitor and can make an announcement - you're enhancing transparency. "We're also taking into cognisance about what clubs are saying and the in-stadium experience for fans. We want to support that as well. "We don't think it would cost a fortune. We've already been doing a bit of work in the background looking at costing and whatever for that. We would welcome it. We think that's doable. With goalline technology, it's also doable, you can bring it in - but it would cost a substantial amount. "If clubs gave us the green light for it financially, we would train the referees immediately. It's not as simple as people think, going to the monitor and making an announcement. "You've got to get the wording right, about selling decisions, but we would move fast with that. If we get a green light for that, we would introduce it within a season even. "I don't mean within a season meaning next season - I mean we would be happy to introduce it in the current season."
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Football set to copy completely different sport's approach to VAR with managers to be given massive new responsibility
England footie legend has been a big supporter of the idea for a long time VAR FETCHED Football set to copy completely different sport's approach to VAR with managers to be given massive new responsibility Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FOOTBALL looks set to introduce a cricket and tennis-style challenge system that will completely transform VAR. This new version of VAR allows managers to request reviews on key decisions such as goals, penalties, direct red cards, and cases of mistaken identity. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Football Video Support (FVS) will see referees be asked to review decisions by managers Credit: Shutterstock Editorial The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is reportedly introducing an exciting new 'low cost' review system called Football Video Support (FVS) to Spain's third tier this season. Under FVS each team gets two reviews per game, and if a challenge is successful, they keep it for later use — if not, they lose that chance. Managers could order a review by twirling their finger in the air and giving the fourth official a review card showing the type of decision being challenged. The referee then consults a pitch-side monitor to reassess the incident, speeding up the process and reducing the costs and chaos associated with traditional VAR. READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS ROARING HOME Lionesses pose on red carpet outside Downing Street after lifting Euros trophy Several major football leagues now utilise semi-automated offside technology (SAOT), including the Premier League, Champions League, Serie A, and LaLiga. Meanwhile, Spain's top women's league, Liga F, could approve the FVS system as soon as this week, potentially becoming the first major league to fully adopt it. This would mark a significant step toward modernising officiating in women's football, with the Women's Super League currently operating without VAR. If FVS proves effective, LaLiga might consider implementing it too, which could see calls for it to be brought to the Prem. 3 The tennis challenge system is called Hawk-Eye, and it's used to review line calls during matches CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Fifa referees chief Pierluigi Collina revealed that the system had already made its debut during last year's Blue Stars/Fifa Youth Cup in Zurich. He told national associations during Fifa's annual congress in Bangkok that the outcome had been 'very, very positive'. Arsenal CONFIRM £63.5million Viktor Gyokeres transfer as striker takes iconic No14 made famous by Thierry Henry There have already been calls for a challenge system in the Premier League, amid the opposition to the VAR system that currently reviews every match-changing incident. One of the biggest fans of an 'appeal system' has been Gary Lineker. Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast last year, Lineker explained: "The only way out of this mess, and I think they should keep offside and goal-line technology. "But I think you either scrap the rest of it or, more realistically, you take it to an appeal system. 3 Gary Lineker has called for a challenge-system for years "You limit the amount of times that VAR can interfere. It can not intervene unless someone appeals. "Maybe one appeal a half, but it stops VAR coming into every possible corner that comes in." Prem chiefs tried to sort some of the problems out last season, when they rolled out semi-automated offside technology for the final seven rounds of top flight games.
The Sun
8 hours ago
- The Sun
Football set to copy completely different sport's approach to VAR with managers to be given massive new responsibility
FOOTBALL looks set to introduce a cricket and tennis-style challenge system that will completely transform VAR. This new version of VAR allows managers to request reviews on key decisions such as goals, penalties, direct red cards, and cases of mistaken identity. 3 The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is reportedly introducing an exciting new 'low cost' review system called Football Video Support (FVS) to Spain's third tier this season. Under FVS each team gets two reviews per game, and if a challenge is successful, they keep it for later use — if not, they lose that chance. Managers could order a review by twirling their finger in the air and giving the fourth official a review card showing the type of decision being challenged. The referee then consults a pitch-side monitor to reassess the incident, speeding up the process and reducing the costs and chaos associated with traditional VAR. Meanwhile, Spain's top women's league, Liga F, could approve the FVS system as soon as this week, potentially becoming the first major league to fully adopt it. This would mark a significant step toward modernising officiating in women's football, with the Women's Super League currently operating without VAR. If FVS proves effective, LaLiga might consider implementing it too, which could see calls for it to be brought to the Prem. 3 Fifa referees chief Pierluigi Collina revealed that the system had already made its debut during last year's Blue Stars/Fifa Youth Cup in Zurich. He told national associations during Fifa's annual congress in Bangkok that the outcome had been 'very, very positive'. Arsenal CONFIRM £63.5million Viktor Gyokeres transfer as striker takes iconic No14 made famous by Thierry Henry There have already been calls for a challenge system in the Premier League, amid the opposition to the VAR system that currently reviews every match-changing incident. One of the biggest fans of an 'appeal system' has been Gary Lineker. Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast last year, Lineker explained: "The only way out of this mess, and I think they should keep offside and goal-line technology. "But I think you either scrap the rest of it or, more realistically, you take it to an appeal system. 3 "You limit the amount of times that VAR can interfere. It can not intervene unless someone appeals. "Maybe one appeal a half, but it stops VAR coming into every possible corner that comes in." Prem chiefs tried to sort some of the problems out last season, when they rolled out semi-automated offside technology for the final seven rounds of top flight games.
